I'll Be
by Valkyriexx
Summary: "She means everything to me... I can't lose her; not now." "We'll get her back, Merlin. I promise." It's been two years since Merlin returned, but Morgana is stirring once more. With both his heart, and his destiny on the line, Merlin will have to find the courage to face her one last time. Sequel to "Against All Odds" No slash! I don't own Merlin!
1. Prologue

**Happy New Year! I'm back! This is the sequel to Against All Odds! If anyone has any title recommendations, please let me know. I'm still not sure on it... **

**Slightly off topic, I know I'm not the only one who is heart broken by the finale. That really wasn't fair... Poor Merlin. And poor Arthur. So, to make up for it, there's going to be lots of Arwen and Meyla (thank you to Dobby134 for the name) romance, and lots of Merlin/Arthur bromance. **

**This is just the prologue for now; I'm halfway through my January exams, but I've taken a break from revision to write this. The rest of the chapters will come later on, once I have more free time. **

**Enjoy! **

**XxX**

Prologue

The witch let out a frustrated scream, slamming her hands down on the table. Behind her, the druid narrowed his eyes, glaring at the window.

'He got lucky.'

'He's been lucky for _six_ years!' she snapped, whirling around to face him. '_Six years_, Mordred!'

Mordred said nothing, moving away from her and seating himself by the extinguished fire. 'We need to get rid of him.'

Morgana let out a disbelieving laugh. 'Because that worked _so well _last time!'

'Then we try something different!'

She growled, swiping her hand across the table, the tarnished plates colliding with the wall. 'Then what would you have us do, Mordred?' she snarled. 'We've tried everything to kill him... Everything! But he just won't die!'

Mordred rolled his eyes. 'We've been taking this in the wrong direction; spending years trying to kill Emrys, when we should have been focusing our attentions somewhere else.'

Morgana looked up from the table, a frown creasing her forehead. There was a glint of something in her companions' eyes... The same look she had seen when he'd first approached her with Emrys' identity over two years ago. 'What would you suggest?'

And Mordred smiled.

**XxX**

**Very short, but it is just the prologue. The rest of the chapters will be much longer. **

**Please leave a review! Reviews are amazing motivators! And yes, I know this prologue is similar to another of my stories... But it fits. **

**Until next time...**

**TTFN  
Valkyirexx**


	2. A Day In The Life

***Peeks from behind laptop* Anyone still there? **

**So, I'm back! This chapter took forever to write, and I was snowed under by all my homework/coursework/exams... And snow, strangely enough. **

**But enough excuses! Now, I'm back into the swing of writing, I should be able to update regularly. So here's the first chapter of I'll Be! I've had a recommendation to change the name to "Love Conquers All" but it's up to you readers! **

**So this is a snapshot in Merlin's life following Against All Odds, set two years in the future. And I'm sorry, but Iyla and Merlin don't have children... But Arthur and Gwen do! **

**For now, enjoy!**

**XxX**

A Day In The Life...

The morning sun filtered through the gap in the curtains, dancing across the room. Through half closed eyes, the gentle light glowed, and he rolled over, burying his face in his wife's golden hair.

She curled into his side, resting her head on his chest, her hand entangled with his loose night shirt. He tightened his grip on her shoulder, unwilling to let her go. The couple lay there for several long moments, unwilling to be the first to pull away from the other.

But they both had duties to attend too; and it was Iyla that pulled away first.

'Good morning,' she smiled, sitting up, and looking down at her husband. He grinned sleepily back.

'Good morning.'

'How are you feeling this morning?'

Merlin pushed himself up, groaning slightly as the movement strained the wound on his shoulder. 'I've been better. But I'll be alright.'

Iyla stared at him for a few moments, before gently pushing back the bandages. Her golden hair framed her face, as she quickly dashed the tears from her eyes, and resumed examining the wound. 'I wish you hadn't gone after Mordred like that, Merlin. If not for Arthur, he could have killed you.'

'I was just doing my job. They won't fool me again.'

'You said that after the crying child incident,' she whispered. 'Merlin... you have such a good, strong heart. And, most of the time, it's your greatest strength, and your best quality. But they'll keep coming up with new ways to trick you.'

Merlin sighed, sitting up in order to pull his wife close. 'Then we beat them. Again. What if I promised never to leave Arthur's side on hunts and patrols again? Would that make you feel better?'

She bit her lip, her eyes scanning his face for a hint of a lie.

'You swear?'

'I swear.' He held her gaze, squeezing her hand lightly. 'You know what Arthur and I are capable together. If we stay close , nothing can hurt me.'

Iyla blinked rapidly, before nodding, staring down at their joined hands.

Merlin raised them, kissing her knuckles before lying back down.

She stared at him. 'You aren't going back to sleep, are you?'

'I was planning too,' he grinned, pleased to see the familiar scowl on her face.

'You have a council meeting in less than an hour!'

'Arthur can manage without me for once,' he muttered, tucking the quilt under his chin.

Iyla huffed, throwing back the covers. 'What happened to "I promise to stay by Arthur's side?"'

'When we leave the citadel!' He groaned, trying to wrestle them back from her. 'The council chambers are just down the corridor, well within the city's walls!'

'That means you have no excuse not to go!'

The Warlock rolled over, closing his eyes and his burying his face in his pillow.

There was a moment of silence before Merlin heard his wife sigh. The bed springs creaked, and then he felt her warm hands on his back. He relaxed against her gentle touch, assuming that she'd given in, and would stay with him a while longer.

And then the pressure suddenly increased and, completely unprepared, Merlin found himself on the floor with a thud.

Blinking, and slightly disorientated, he tried to get his bearings, but his vision was obscured by a sheet of dark material landing on his head. He pulled the tunic off, glaring at Iyla as she disappeared behind the changing screen.

But the smile on her face meant that she was, at least, feeling better.

Still grumbling, Merlin stood, pulling his night shirt off, and obediently began to prepare for the meeting.

XxX

Merlin entered the hall to find the Knights of the Round Table, minus Gwaine and Arthur, already seated.

He nodded to them as he took his seat, to the right hand side of the King's place. 'Where's Arthur?'

There was no need to ask where Gwaine was; the Knight always made a point of showing up five minutes after the King. He was probably already outside, waiting for Arthur to make an appearance.

'I bumped into Gaius on my way here,' Leon said, glancing around the group. 'Amhar wasn't too well during the night.'

'What happened?' Merlin felt his heart immediately lurch at the mention of his godson's health. 'Is he alright? Why wasn't I told? I could have helped...'

The Knight chuckled, holding up his hand and cutting the Warlock off. 'He's fine, Merlin. They just wanted to be certain; he is only two months old. But Arthur, Gaius and Gwen have been up half the night with him, so they're all tired.'

The Warlock bit his lip, contemplating leaving and going to find the baby prince, but, before he could move, the doors swung open. Arthur strode in, looking exhausted with dark bags under his eyes, and his face was paler than usual, but he sat at the table with the grace and poise of a King.

Arthur glanced at his friend, catching the frown on his face. 'Is your concern for my well-being, or that of my son's?'

Merlin simply raised an eyebrow at him, and he chuckled.

'Amhar's going to be fine; Gaius just didn't want to take any chances, seeing as it's winter, and because he's so young. He's with Gwen and Iyla now, so he'll be feeling very sorry for himself.'

All the Knights laughed, and Merlin relaxed, smiling. The doors burst open once again, revealing Gwaine.

'Sorry, I'm late! Hope I didn't miss anything too important,' he beamed.

Arthur smirked at him. 'Actually, we haven't started yet, so you're just in time.' They all laughed again, when Gwaine's face fell, and the Knight took his place at the table. 'So, now that we're all here, we can get on with business.'

XxX

Merlin hung back as the rest of the council members filed out, watching as Arthur rolled up the map of the Forest of Ascetir. They'd been tracking Morgana and Mordred's recent appearances, trying to pinpoint an exact hiding spot, but, so far, they'd had no luck.

'You're sure Amhar's going to be alright? I can have a look at him, if you need me too. You should have called me when he first fell ill...'

'Merlin,' Arthur held up his hand. 'He's fine. I told you, Gaius just wanted to be certain because of the cold weather we've been having. The real question is; how are you feeling?'

The Warlock turned away, picking up scroll. 'I don't know what you mean. I'm fine.'

'So you're shoulder isn't hurting anymore.'

'No.'

'You're lying to me.'

Merlin huffed. 'And you're beginning to sound like my wife.' Arthur narrowed his eyes at him, and the Warlock hurried to continue. 'Anyway, I've promised not to go off on my own anymore, so I shouldn't get hurt. Now, about Amhar...'

Arthur huffed and took a swipe at his grinning friend.

'Come on, idiot. We've got work to do.'

XxX

To begin with, Merlin wasn't sure why Arthur asked him to sit by him during the trial. Probably to punish him for something he did months ago...

The accused, Lord Monteny from one of Camelot's furthest provinces, paled when he saw both the King and the Court Sorcerer before him. Arthur was leaning on his knees, his hands clasped in front of him, with Merlin stood slightly to his right, and behind the chair. Gwen was also present, her back straight, gazing coolly at the Lord. Iyla had taken the little Prince off for a nap. Merlin wished he could have gone with them.

And then Arthur read out the charges.

The attempted murder of a sorcerer, who had been saved by a passing patrol.

The young Warlock couldn't help it. His eyes closed for a moment, and he let out a deep breath. Gwen sent him a concerned look, but the King was rising to his feet, approaching the Lord, drawing her attention back to the scene.

'What do you have to say in your defence?'

The Lord panicked. A rush of words escaped his mouth, and Arthur rolled his eyes, reaching out to grip the man's collar.

'Speak clearly, or I'll just throw you straight back into the dungeons. Why did you try to kill Riley Futton, a man who has _never _caused you or your people harm? Witnesses say that he is a kind, gentle man who goes out of his way to help people.'

Lord Monteny gulped, staring down at the floor. 'He... He's a thief. He tried to rob me.'

'Is that so? And what did he try to take?'

'Uh...' The Lord stuttered. 'He took...'

'I thought you said he _tried_ to take something.' Arthur's eyes narrowed, and beads of sweat appeared on the old man's forehead. Merlin watched carefully, forcing himself to remain calm.

'Well, he did...'

'So what is the truth, Lord Monteny?'

The Lord bit his lip, unable to look the King in the eye. 'There have been a series of unexplained deaths...'

'Which you haven't reported to your King?'

The Lord's eyes bulged. 'He... He slept with my wife!'

'Lord Monteny, you are not even _married_!'

'He's a sorcerer!' The Lord snapped, finally looking up. 'I don't need a reason. They are dangerous, filth... I was doing everyone a favour. You've disgraced your father and your kingdom these last few years. You and your pet Warlock!'

Arthur didn't respond. He stared at the Lord for a few moments more before gesturing for the guards to come forward. Merlin watched him go, before walking away. He didn't get far before he felt a hand on his shoulder.

'Are you alright?'

Merlin looked at his friend, before smiling sadly. 'There are always going to be people opposed to magic, Arthur. It's something I've had to get used to.'

The King sighed, glancing back at the doors, where they could still here the Lord's protests echoing as he was dragged down the hall.

'I'll send for the nursemaid to take care of Amhar. Take the rest of the day off, Merlin; I know these cases are hard for you.'

'I'm alright...'

Arthur shook his head. 'No, Merlin. You're not. You never are, because I know that you feel this is the Kingdom reverting back to the old ways. But I swore to you when I found you, two years ago, that I'd keep you and you're kind sage. You have nothing to worry about. Now, go spend the afternoon with your wife.'

The Warlock smiled, bowing, much to Arthur's surprise. 'Thank you, my King.'

Arthur clapped him on the shoulder, before moving away. Merlin remained for a moment, watching his friend leave, before turning and exiting through a side door.

It had been a while since he'd spent an afternoon with his wife.

XxX

Merlin flopped down into the chair, sighing in relief as he closed his eyes. He heard the door open behind him, but he knew there were only two people who would enter without knocking. Sure enough, he felt a pair of gentle arms wrap around his neck. 'Arthur told me you'd had a hard day.'

He opened his eyes, and smiled warmly up at Iyla. 'Nothing I can't handle.'

'Another magic hating noble?'

He nodded, and she leant down to kiss him. They stayed there for a moment, enjoying each others' company, before Iyla pulled back, perching on the edge of the table in front of him.

'How is Amhar?'

'Better today,' she smiled. 'And enjoying the attention. He's very much like his father.'

At that, Merlin chuckled, placing another chaste kiss on her lips. She rose to her feet and stumbled.

Immediately, he was by her side steadying her. 'Iyla?'

She shook her head. 'I'm just... exhausted. I haven't stopped all day. I'll be fine.'

'You don't want me to get Gaius?'

Again, Iyla shook her head. 'I'm alright, Merlin. I just... I think I need to sleep.'

Merlin quickly nodded, picking her up and carrying over to the bed. Laying her down, Merlin drew the covers up to her neck and kissed her forehead.

'Goodnight, Iyla.'

She smiled up at him. 'Goodnight, Merlin. I love you.'

'I love you too.'

**XxX**

**So, next chapter is when the main plot starts, but this chapter is important for the rest of the story. **

**Hope to update again on Saturday, according to my usual schedule, and feel free to nag me should I fail.**

**Please leave a review!**

**TTFN  
Valkyriexx**


	3. Taken

**This is so much later than I had originally planned, but I might be able to get another chapter done soon, if I get everything done tomorrow. **

**Anyway, as promised, this is when the story begins to pick up! Not as long as normal either, but it's not the kind of chapter that can be dragged out. As requested though, we do see what happens to the delightful Lord Monteny. **

**Also, I'm still not sure on the name change for the story. Shall I stick with I'll Be, as it's the usual obscure name that will make sense in the final chapters, or think up something else? Let me know! **

**Enjoy!**

**XxX**

Taken 

Merlin stood to the side of the courtyard, frowning as he watched the stable boy saddle Gwen and Iyla's horses. The Knights were preparing themselves for the journey as well, with Elyan leading them to Thomas' grave.

'They're going to be fine.'

The Warlock didn't react as the King spoke, coming up to stand beside his friend.

'Why are you so nervous?'

He shrugged. 'It's just this feeling I have,' he muttered. 'It's probably nothing.'

Arthur frowned, staring at his Knights. 'I'll double the guards accompanying them.'

Merlin whipped round to stare at him, surprised. 'Sorry?'

'Merlin, you may be an idiot, but you have a knack for sensing danger. If you say you've got a bad feeling, then I'm doubling the guards. I'm not risking anything happening to our wives.'

His sigh of relief didn't go unnoticed by Arthur, who allowed himself a small smile. 'Thank you, Sire.'

The King chuckled slightly, bumping his shoulder into the Warlock's. 'You may be an idiot, but you're often right about these kinds of thing. Now come on,' his tone softened, and his eyes grew concerned. 'I'm afraid we've got a rather unpleasant Lord to deal with today.'

Merlin huffed, closing his eyes briefly. 'What are you planning on doing with him?'

'I don't know,' Arthur sighed, leaning against a pillar. 'We've gone almost four months without an incident... I'd hoped that would be the last. If I make an example of Lord Monteny, it will reinforce the message that magic is welcome, and sorcerers are under the protection of the law. But it could cause problems if I'm too harsh, because there are still those looking for an excuse to rebel against my decision to revoke the ban on magic. On the other hand, if I'm not severe enough, some may take that to mean they can start hunting those with magic again... And I know how much that would hurt you.'

'And the other sorcerers that have come out of hiding in the last two years?' Merlin asked, his eyebrows rising.

'Them too,' Arthur couldn't help but grin sheepishly. 'The point is, we need to tread carefully when dealing with this trial; which is why I want you opinion on the best way to handle the situation.'

The Warlock laughed. 'As always. Arthur, you always worry about the trials of magic haters, and it always turns out alright in the end. So stop worrying; everything's going to be fine.'

His friend smiled. 'When did you get so wise?'

'I've always been this wise,' Merlin smirked. 'You just took a while to notice.'

They both laughed, and stood for a moment, watching the Knights. 'I'll go organise another patrol.' Arthur began to move away, but stopped when he heard Merlin call.

'Arthur!' He turned, looking his friend in the eye. 'Thank you.'

The King nodded and disappeared into the castle.

Merlin remained where he was for several more minutes, before following him into the castle.

XxX

Merlin managed to catch Iyla just as she was leaving their chambers. She smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. 'We shouldn't be gone long,' she whispered. 'I'll be back for dinner.'

'Do you have to go?'

'It's my duty to the Queen,' she frowned. 'Merlin, you know that. What's wrong?'

The Warlock bit his lip. 'You weren't well last night. What if you fall ill again? The Knights won't be able to look after you, and I won't be there.'

Comprehension dawned on her face and she gave him a gentle smile. 'I'm fine, Merlin. I've spoken to Gaius, and I was tired last night, that's all. But,' her eyes turned serious. 'We need to talk when I get back.'

'Talk? Why? What's wrong?'

'Nothing,' Iyla stroked his face as Gwaine rounded the corner. 'I have to go. We'll talk when I get back.' She gave him a quick kiss on the lips before she started to move away.

'I love you!' Merlin called, startling her. For some inexplicable reason, he knew he had to tell her that.

She turned, her gentle eyes showing her surprise. 'I love you too.'

And then she was gone, whisked away by Gwaine, who had greeted her with a low bow, his lips brushing against her hand. 'My Lady.'

But Iyla's melodic laugh did nothing to quell the uneasy feeling in the pit of Merlin's stomach.

The feeling that he wouldn't be seeing her that night...

XxX

Lord Monteny was a coward.

Merlin watched the quivering Lord through narrowed eyes, his lips pressed tightly together as Arthur circled the accused. Nobody said a word, and the only sound, besides the clacking of the King's boots, was the man's snivelling.

'You have been tried and convicted of attempted murder. As such, you will be sentenced in accordance with the laws of Camelot.'

Monteny gasped, his breaths coming in short, sharp gasps. Merlin closed his eyes.

He knew that Arthur had made the right decision; he had agreed with the King, after all. Lord Monteny needed to be made an example of, but he couldn't help but worry about the fallout it may cause. Arthur had been right; there were still many anti-magic groups throughout Albion, and Lord Monteny could become a martyr. He would never tell Arthur about his doubts, he couldn't... Not after everything the King had done for him in the last two years. But he still couldn't help the fear that bubbled in his chest.

'Your lands will be passed to your next of kin, your brother. Your people will be informed that you are no longer fit to rule your estate, and you shall be hanged for your crimes against the citizens of Camelot in three days time.'

'Over a sorcerer,' the ex-Lord muttered.

'Over a citizen of the Kingdom I swore to protect,' Arthur knelt down in front of the man, grasping his face between his hands. 'And that is all the people need to know.' He shoved Monteny away and rose to his feet. 'Get him out of my sight!'

The guards came forward in an instant, and the King turned to his friend, his face softening as he took in Merlin's hunched form.

'You alright?'

Merlin finally tore his eyes from the spot where Monteny had been moments ago. 'What? Oh, yes. I'm fine.'

'You're sure?'

The Warlock let out a low chuckle. 'It'll take more than another puffed up old Lord to knock me down, Arthur.'

The King didn't look like he believed him, but let the subject drop. 'Will you be accompanying me to the training field this afternoon?'

'Who are you going to fight? You sent everyone after your wife.'

Arthur gave him a sly grin. 'Well, seeing as I _know _how much you've missed holding my shield up for me...'

His hearty laugh couldn't drown out Merlin's groan.

XxX

Iyla pressed her hand against her stomach, taking a deep breath, before taking up the reins again. Gwen looked at her, worried. 'Are you alright, Iyla?'

She young woman smiled at her friend. 'I'm fine, my Lady. Gaius assured me it's nothing to worry about.'

The Queen frowned. 'You know you can tell me anything, Iyla. We are friends, after all.'

'I know,' Iyla looked around at the Knights, most of whom were trying not to listen to their conversation. 'I was wondering why Arthur employed half the Army to guide us to your father's grave. He normally only sends half a dozen.'

Gwen shrugged. 'I'm not sure, but he was worried when I spoke to him. I think...' she lowered her voice, glancing around at the surrounding forest. 'I think Merlin may have had one of his bad feelings again.'

Iyla's eyes widened. 'That's why he didn't want me to come,' she whispered back. 'He thinks something bad is going to happen!'

Both women bit their lips, drawing their horses to a halt. 'Maybe we should head back...'

Elyan reached out to touch his sister's shoulder. 'If you're not happy, Gwen, we go home. It's as simple as that.'

The Queen held her brother's gaze before nodding. Immediately, Elyan spun around, shouting orders to the Knights. They guided their horses round, and began to make their way slowly down the path.

Iyla relaxed, the closer they were to the citadel. She was feeling queasy again, but at least she would be able to talk to her husband sooner. Iyla wished that they could have talked as soon as she'd spoken with Gaius – Merlin would have wanted to know straight away – but both of them had duties to the crown. Maybe Arthur would even let them have another evening together; just the two of them.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts, that she didn't notice the arrow until it was buried in the tree in front of her.

Iyla's horse reared, throwing her backwards, and she was lucky enough to land in a pile of dead leaves that cushioned her fall. 'Protect the Queen!'

In the panic she was forgotten, and then the bandit was looming over her. She opened her mouth to scream, but a cloth bag was pulled over her head, startling her.

And then she was in the air, being thrown over somebody's shoulder. And her world went black.

XxX

The shield rolled away to the side as Merlin threw his arms up, creating a barrier between himself and the King.

Arthur yelped as he was thrown backwards, blinking furiously up at the Warlock. 'That wasn't fair!'

His friend simply chuckled, holding out his hand. Arthur hesitated a moment, before letting Merlin pull him upright. 'I use magic, you use a sword. Either way, we're still fighting.'

'Excuses, Merlin,' the King laughed, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

'My Lords!'

Both men turned at Leon's cry, taking in the dishevelled Knights and frantic Queen behind him.

'Sir Leon! What's happened? Guinevere?'

Neither had time to answer, for Merlin had immediately noticed what was wrong.

'Where is she?'

All eyes turned to him, but Merlin focused his gaze on Gwaine, who shook his head.

'Where's Iyla?'

**XxX**

**Sorry! But cliffhangers are just so hard to resist when it comes to stories! Anyway, that's the plot almost established!**

**Please leave a review, and let me know what you think! It saddens me to see this fandom dwindling now Merlin is no longer gracing our screens. I will update as soon as possible, hopefully before the end of the weekend. **

**TTFN  
Valkyriexx **


	4. Hostage

**This is so late but, in my defence, I haven't really been in the writing frame of mind... **

**However, the plot bunnies have attacked, and I have nearly 1,500 words of an unrelated one shot written down. Plus a post 5x13 that I had to start to make myself feel better after watching the finale again... It's up to you if I post them if/when they are done. **

**So, enough rambling. This chapter's quite short, but I won't make any promises of another one till next weekend. It'll just be a nice surprise if it happens. **

**Enjoy! **

**XxX**

Hostage

**Hostage**

When Iyla woke, she was no longer moving, and her hands were tied behind her back. The bag was still obscuring her face, and she was leaning against, what she assumed to be, a stone wall.

Somebody was moving around, coming closer... Iyla tensed as a hand pressed against her shoulder, before grasping the edge of the bag, ripping it off.

Her hair whipped over her face, and she blinked, her eyes slowly adjusting to the semi-darkness of her new environment.

A pale face loomed in the gloom, and Iyla felt her stomach drop.

'Morgana...'

XxX

Merlin wasn't sure when Arthur had wrapped his arms around him; he only became aware of it when his knees went out from under him, and the King slowly lowered him to the ground.

The Warlock tried to shake his friend off, but Arthur just held on tighter. 'It's alright, Merlin. It's going to be alright...'

And that's when the Warlock exploded. 'No!' He shot to his feet, shoving Arthur away, and rounded on the Knights. 'Why weren't you there? Do you even know when she was taken? Do you even know _who _took her?'

Gwaine gaped like a goldfish, his eyes displaying nothing but grief and guilt, but, in that moment, Merlin didn't care.

Iyla was gone... His beautiful Iyla, his light... She wouldn't be home for dinner tonight. She'd had something important to tell him, he remembered. Would he ever find out what she wanted to say to him? Did she know how much he loved her? Was she angry that he wasn't there to protect her..?

'I trusted you, Gwaine...' He whispered, the anger fading as suddenly as it had surged. 'I trusted you to keep her safe...'

'I'm so sorry, Merlin...' the Knight seemed lost for words, but Arthur was shaking his head.

'It wasn't your fault, Gwaine.'

But Merlin was no longer listening. Suddenly, he couldn't stand being in their company anymore. This was their fault; he'd trusted them to look after his wife, and they had failed him. He needed to get out there; he needed to find her.

So, while the Knights were busy arguing, the Warlock turned tail and ran. It only took a few moments, before the King was after him, calling his friends' name.

XxX

'The beautiful Lady Iyla Emrys; we haven't been properly introduced!' Morgana took a sweeping bow in front of her captive, grinning madly. 'I am Queen Morgana Pendragon.'

'Still convinced you deserve the throne? I would have thought you'd given up on that fantasy by now.'

Morgana narrowed her eyes at the woman, kneeling down in front of her. 'I can see why he chose you,' she snarled. 'You have his arrogance. I wish I could see his face when he realises that'll he'll never be getting you back.'

'You won't win, Morgana,' Iyla held the witch's gaze steadily. 'If you hurt me, Merlin will kill you. You won't make it to the throne. He'll _never_ let you win.'

And then Morgana's face split into an evil grin, her eyes glittering maliciously. 'You think he'll come for you? Oh, my poor, sweet Iyla,' she patted Iyla's leg gently. 'I'm _counting_ on it.'

XxX

By the time Arthur caught up to Merlin, he'd made it back to his and Iyla's chambers. Without knocking, the King barged his way in, his eyes immediately locating his friend on the far side o f the room.

Merlin was sat on the floor, his back pressed again his bed, facing the window.

Sighing, the King made his way over to his friend, climbing on the edge of the bed, so that he could look down on his friend without getting in his way. He didn't know whether Merlin wanted him there or not, but he felt that his friend shouldn't be on his own right now.

The Warlock had a jacket in his lap that he was gently running his fingers across.

For many minutes, they just sat in silence, Arthur waiting for the Warlock to break the silence, and Merlin too lost to do so.

'I gave her this,' he whispered eventually. Arthur said nothing, waiting for him to continue. 'The first day we met. It took all her cunning to keep it hidden from Malum, so he wouldn't take it away. The day you found us, she'd given it to Felicia. That's how we got it out of the dungeons, without anyone noticing. Felicia returned it not long before she left. It didn't seem that significant to me, at the time; I don't even remember seeing it until our wedding day. It was her favourite...'

'You should give it to her when we find her,' Arthur murmured.

Merlin shook his head, his voice choking. 'It was Morgana, wasn't it? Morgana took her to hurt me, to make me come after her.'

'Yes,' there was no point beating around the bush.

'Do you think she's still alive?'

'I'm sure of it.' He bowed his head further, staring intently at the jacket. 'I thought that you'd already be out there, Merlin.'

'I am,' Merlin snapped. 'I mean, I'm going too... I just...'

That was when Arthur noticed that his hands were shaking. Understanding dawned on the King, and he slid off the bed, landing next to his friend. Without a word, Arthur simply wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pulling the Warlock down until his head was resting on the King.

Merlin was in shock, and didn't, physically, have the strength to move.

'She must have pulled this out before she left,' his voice was so quiet, Arthur barely heard it. 'When I came in, it was lying on the bed. I picked it up and then... I just felt so weak. I need to find her, but I can't stop shaking; I can't stand. I have to go after her, but I can't...'

The King sighed, placing his head on top of Merlin's as his friend started to sob. 'Hush,' he breathed, rubbing Merlin's arm. 'It'll be alright. Gwen has already sent out another patrol to look for her, and we'll join them first thing in the morning. But,' he pulled back to look Merlin in the eye, sensing that Merlin was about to protest. 'You need some rest. You'll be of no use to Iyla of you run yourself into the ground trying to find her. So, you'll come with me to Gaius' chambers, where you'll sleep in your old bed, so Gaius can keep an eye on you. I don't want you staying in here on your own tonight.'

'I can't bother Gaius,' Merlin mumbled, the shock beginning to take its toll on his already weary body.

Arthur shook his head. 'I think you'll find that both Gaius and myself disagree with that. Come on.'

He gently pulled Merlin to his feet. The Warlock let his head drop back slightly, his eyes fluttering closed, his breathing harsh and heavy. Arthur's brow furrowed in concern, and he took most of his friends' weight, carrying him towards the door.

XxX

It took longer than usual, but both King and Warlock finally made it to the Physicians' chambers.

Gaius was already waiting for them, helping the King lift the dead weight that was his former ward.

'Everyone reacts to the loss of a loved one differently,' Gaius murmured. 'I'm glad you brought him to me, Arthur.'

'She isn't lost,' Arthur shook his head. 'It'll be hard, but I'm not giving up on her; I can't give up on either of them. I know that Morgana has a cold heart, but this...'

Merlin stirred on the bed, and Arthur leant forward.

'Arthur?'

'I'm here, Merlin.'

'Promise me we'll find her?'

Arthur smiled gently as he held his friend's hand.

'I promise.'

**XxX**

**So, maybe Merlin was a tad OOC, but he's just found out his arch-enemy has kidnapped his wife. I have no idea how he'd react, but I think that someone as sensitive as him would go into shock like this. **

**More bromance and Morgan-Iyla interactions to come!**

**Please leave a review! Hopefully the updates will becomes more regular as my deadlines settle; writing is turning into my down-time at the end of the week. **

**Until next time...**

**TTFN  
Valkyriexx**


	5. The Search Begins

**I am so sorry this took so long! I do have an exceptionally long list of excuses that I'm not going to bore you all with. It's not as long as I would have liked either...**

**But now it's Easter, I **_**should**_** be able to get back up to speed. **

**Enjoy!**

**Xxx**

The Search Begins

When Merlin woke the next morning, he was confused by the hard, lumpy mattress underneath him, and the absence in the space beside him. Sitting up and looking around, he frowned as he recognised his old room. Why was he in here? Did something happen? Where was..?

And then the previous day came rushing back to him, and it felt like his heart and lungs were being crushed inside his chest.

Merlin let out a sob, burying his face in his hands; it felt like his whole world had come crashing down around him. He was vaguely away of a pair of strong arms wrapping themselves around his torso, holding him in place, and rubbing his back. His face was pressed against a thick, soft material, and he clutched at it, trying to anchor himself so that he wasn't swept away by the torrent of emotions bombarding his already weary soul.

'I'm here. It's alright, Merlin, I'm here,' the gentle whisper finally brought him back, and he pulled away to see the King perched on the edge of his bed. 'I know it's hard,' Arthur said, his eyes gentle as they took in his grieving friend. 'And I know you're scared. But I swear to you, we'll do everything we can to find her.'

'She's means everything to me... I can't lose her; not now,' his voice was small, and shaking with emotion.

'We'll get her back, Merlin. I promise.'

XxX

Less than an hour later, the patrol returned, reporting finding a set of tracks leading away from the abduction sight. An hour after that, the next patrol was ready, with Merlin and Arthur mounted alongside them. The Knights of the Round Table, along with several others, gathered around; Gwaine shifted nervously, glancing at his friend, but Merlin was too focused on his horse's mane to meet the Knight's eyes.

'Merlin!'

The Warlock looked over to see Gaius hurrying towards him.

'Merlin, there's something I need to tell you.' He held his mentor's gaze, his brow creased with worry.

'What's wrong?'

'Iyla came to see me yesterday morning.' Merlin nodded; he'd already know this. 'She... She wanted you to know... That she loves you. No matter what, she loves you.'

Tears welled up in the Warlock's eyes, and he turned his head away, unable to find the right words. 'Thank you...' he eventually murmured. 'Gaius...'

'Just bring her home,' Gaius whispered, patting Merlin's hand.

'I will,' Merlin gave him a gentle smile, before gathering up the reins.

He glanced towards his King, who gave him a nod, and then they were gone, cantering through the courtyard, and disappearing through the crowds.

XxX

They rode long and hard through the day, stopping only to give the horses water, and to eat a quick lunch themselves. Merlin barely touched the cheese and bread Arthur gave him, and ended up returning it to his saddle bag.

All the while, the King watched him with worried eyes.

Finally, Arthur called their march to a halt, stating, rather apologetically, that they must stop and rest for the night. Whilst the Warlock understood that this was necessary, he felt a wave of anger towards his King. It was irrational, and un-called for, but he couldn't help but think that this was Arthur's way of telling him it was a lost cause, without actually having to say the words.

Which was why Merlin distanced himself from the rest of the group after the evening meal had been distributed. He picked at the food, knowing he needed to keep his strength up, by finding just the thought of eating to be nauseating. Morgana probably wasn't giving Iyla enough food... What right did he have to eat when he knew she couldn't?

'She wouldn't want you to starve yourself.'

The voice was quiet, but Merlin heard him as he settled down beside him. He couldn't bring himself to look Gwaine in the eye, guilt gnawing at him for the way he spoke to his friend the day before.

'You have nothing to be sorry for.'

The Warlock chuckled. 'Are you a mind reader now?'

Gwaine smirked. 'No, you're just predictable.'

'But I do owe you an apology,' Merlin murmured. 'What I said to you wasn't fair; what happened wasn't your fault. I just... I didn't know what to do.'

'You needed to blame someone,' Gwaine shrugged. 'And that's alright. It's not the first time, Merlin, and I forgave you back then as well.'

Merlin ducked his head, his cheeks flushing red. Yes, he did remember the last time he had blamed Gwaine for something that wasn't his fault; when Gwaine had found the two of them in that Slave Trader's hole over two years ago. That hadn't been fair either, but Gwaine had understood...

Gwaine always understood.

'You're a good friend, Gwaine,' Merlin gave him a gentle smile. 'I'm not sure what I did to have a friend as understanding as you.'

The Knights simply smiled, and tapped the edge of the bowl. He took the hint and began to eat. Across the clearing, Arthur gave Gwaine an approving look. The King had long since accepted that there was a special bond between Merlin and Gwaine, formed from their days of captivity. He knew something had happened between them, something neither of them ever spoke about, but he also knew that it had helped them both survive.

'I did fail you, in a way,' Gwaine murmured a moment later.

Merlin shook his head. 'No, Gwaine, I shouldn't have blamed you...'

'You made me promise to look after Iyla,' the Knight held his gaze. 'You may think that I don't have to anymore, but I made a promise. And I've broken that promise.'

'Gwaine, it was _my _fault! I _knew _something was going to happen when she left that day; I tried to stop her going. Arthur even doubled the guard on the patrol, but it wasn't enough. I'm her husband, Gwaine. I was supposed to look after her.'

'That's enough!'

Both men looked up in surprise to see the King towering over them.

'Gwaine, can you help Percival check the perimeter? I'd like to talk to Merlin, alone.'

Gwaine immediately complied, getting to his feet and disappearing into the trees. Merlin looked up at his King, before turning away, not sure what he was going to see in his friend's eyes.

'You have to stop blaming yourself for what happened,' Arthur sighed. 'We did everything we could to prevent this tragedy from occurring, and it failed.'

'Not everything...'

'Life is full of what if's, Merlin,' Arthur gripped his friend's shoulder, forcing him to turn round. 'I can name a dozen that would have achieved your dream a lot sooner. What if I hadn't let Mordred into the castle? What if I hadn't sent you away, so you ended up a prisoner and tortured for six months? What if I'd listened to you? You wouldn't have suffered, and we could have brought magic back sooner than we did. But, then, you wouldn't have met Iyla, would you?'

The Warlock froze at this, his brow creasing.

Arthur was right. Those six months of hell had led to him to the love of his life. They still joked about it when they had dinner together every few weeks. 'What are you saying? That this could somehow make our lives better, in some way?'

'Maybe it will bring you closer together,' Arthur shrugged. 'Maybe it will force Morgana into the open. Maybe this is it; our chance to fulfil our destinies, and bring an end to Morgana's reign of terror. We won't know until we find them. But every cloud has a silver lining, Merlin.

'And the darkest hour is always before the dawn.'

XxX

Despite Arthur's words of comfort, Merlin barely slept that night. He pulled his cloak tightly around himself, the dying embers reflected in his deep blue eyes. Behind him, he could hear the night-watch shifting, changing every few hours.

Arthur hadn't asked him to do guard duty, but he wished he had. At least it would give him a purpose, instead of him being subjected to the demons that were invading his mind.

Images of Iyla, dirty and weeping, hanging by her wrists flickered across his eyelids every time he tried to close his eyes; the nightmares of that day, over two years ago, haunting him.

A hand touched his shoulder, and his jumped, rolling over and grabbing the wrist of the person.

Arthur merely held his gaze, waiting for him to release him. 'I'm here, Merlin. You can sleep now.'

As Arthur settled himself down for the final shift, his hand still resting on Merlin's, the Warlock finally found himself drifting off to sleep.

XxX

Gaius stood by the battlements, staring out into the forest. He heard the Queen come up beside him, and rest her hand on his shoulder.

'They'll be alright.'

'I know,' he sighed.

Gwen frowned, he brow creasing. 'Gaius?'

'I should have told him,' the old man whispered. 'He trusts me, and I've lied to him again.'

'Gaius, what's happened?'

Gaius turned to his Queen, his eyes swimming with tears and guilt. 'Iyla's pregnant, Gwen.

'She's pregnant.'

**XxX**

**I **_**was**_** going to do the reveal in the next chapter, but seeing as everyone's worked it out... Yes, Iyla's pregnant. **

**I'm hoping to get another chapter done tomorrow, maybe even the first chapter of my twoshot I've been working on posted. I've also had a request for a future fic from Caerfryddin that I'm hoping to get done sooner rather than later. **

**Please leave a review! Prompts for this story, as well as others, are always welcome, and I'll work as many in as possible. **

**TTFN  
Valkyriexx**


	6. Unspoken Words

**Sorry! Sorry... This isn't a day after the last one. I am crap at keeping to my updating schedule, and I'm afraid it's not going to get much better... Please just bear with me; I am doing my best. **

**On happier notes, Doctor Who is back! Amazing, as always, and the new companion's pretty good too! **

**Also, I went to the Merlin Tower at Warwick Castle where they have the Rowan Staff, and the Goblin Box, and the Fisher King's Trident and a wax model of Merlin that you can have a photo next too... And the rest of the Castle's amazing too. I recommend a visit! **

**Enjoy!**

**XxX**

_**Unspoken Words **_

'_Pregnant?_'

Gwen stared at the Physician, her eyes wide with disbelief. 'Iyla's pregnant and you didn't think to tell Merlin?'

'He was already so worried. I didn't want to make things worse for him,' Gaius whispered, his heart heavy with guilt. 'After I told him about his father, he watched him die in his arms. That was worse for him, knowing who Balinor was, and being unable to save him.'

But the Queen was shaking her head. 'This is _Merlin_ we're talking about, Gaius. They've wanted children since they were married; since they started planning their life together. He's going to be devastated when he finds out.'

'It will be the happiest moment of their lives!' The Physician responded. 'Iyla and Merlin will be happier when she can tell him in her own time, once she's safe. I can only hope that Merlin will forgive me for not telling him.'

Watching her old friend, Gwen couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. He'd only been doing what he felt was right at the time, and it was clear he was suffering from his decision. More than anything, Gaius loved Merlin, and he would never do anything to harm him deliberately. Covering his hand with hers, Gwen gave him a gentle smile. 'Merlin will understand, Gaius.

'I just pray Morgana doesn't find out about the child.'

XxX

Iyla pressed her hand to her stomach, desperately fighting back the wave of nausea that had struck her.

She was worried about the baby. When Gaius had informed her, not only yesterday, that she was with child, Iyla hadn't been anything by thrilled. Her and Merlin had been planning a family for so long and now, when it had finally happened, Morgana had interfered.

She hadn't even had the chance to tell her husband the good news...

And his eyes on that last day, when he'd called out to tell her that he loved her... Merlin had known. That's why he'd asked Arthur to double the guards accompanying them. Merlin had known something was wrong, and tried to stop whatever it was from happening. He was surely devastated and blaming himself, no doubt.

Desperately wishing she had some water, Iyla glanced around herself.

Morgana and Mordred were stood off to the side, talking in hushed tones. Mordred kept glancing at her and frowning; Iyla hoped that meant he was worried about her well being. She doubted it though.

Nodding her head, the witch made her way over, crouching down in front of her. 'Are you alright, my dear? You're not looking very well.' A sickeningly sweet grin graced her face as she stroked Iyla's cheek.

Iyla jerked her head away, before returning the false smile. If Morgana wanted to play that game, then so be it. 'I'm afraid I miss my husband, Lady Morgana. But if you'll kindly take me home, I'm sure that can be remedied.'

'We can't do that, I'm afraid.' Morgana caught Iyla's chin between her fingers, still smiling. 'But don't worry. Your husband will be here soon. Sir Mordred has just informed me that King Arthur and Lord Emrys have set out for our humble abode. We've left enough subtle clues to lead them straight here.'

'You really think Merlin will fall for one of your silly traps? There's a reason you haven't won, Morgana. The sooner you give up, and admit your mistakes, the sooner you can live in peace. _Please_, Morgana,' Iyla begged.

The witch just laughed. 'I don't want _peace_, you stupid girl,' she sneered. 'I want _revenge!_ Do you know what your dear husband did to me?'

Iyla rolled her eyes. 'You made a deal with Morgause, and you couldn't handle the consequences. Merlin didn't have a choice.'

'There is _always _a choice!'

'A choice between your life and the lives of everyone in Camelot! And you survived! Merlin bargained with Morgause for your life. After what you did, there aren't many people that would do that.'

Morgana snarled at her. 'What do you know besides the lies he fed you? What gave him the right to decide whose life was more important? The _almighty_ Emrys, who can't even protect the woman he loves!' And with that, stormed away. The druid stared at her for a moment longer, before turning and following his companion.

Iyla was left alone.

XxX

An hour after his friend had fallen asleep, the nightmares had started again.

Arthur had moved his hand to Merlin's back, rubbing gentle circles in an effort to comfort him, and it had worked. The Warlock had sighed, shifting closer to Arthur's hand, causing the young King to smile.

He was reminded of Gwen's disappearance, when she was taken in Morgana's place by Hengist. Merlin had fallen asleep halfway through that mission, much to Arthur's fury. Merlin's own grief hadn't registered in his mind at the time, his own conflicted emotions for Guinevere and his desire to find her taking precedence. Looking at his friend now, Arthur was reminded of himself. The determination, the confliction and the deep, heart-breaking loss that swirled deep in his cerulean eyes when they blinked open and turned to look for his friend just as the dawn broke.

'Arthur?'

'How are you feeling?'

'How long have you been there?'

Arthur smiled. 'I was on the final guard shift.'

The Warlock blinked his tired eyes. 'You shouldn't have done that.'

'You would have done the same for me... You _did_ do it for me. When Guinevere was kidnapped, when my father died... I know that this is hard for you, Merlin,' he gripped the younger man's shoulder. 'But you're not alone. And if you need to talk about anything...' He trailed off, the words getting caught in his throat. He really was useless at all this emotional stuff.

Merlin stared at him, conflicted. The dreams had shaken him, and he knew he had to talk about it...

Arthur had misinterpreted his friend's silence, and, with a sigh, began to move away.

'It was that final day... with Malum.'

The King froze.

It had been so long since they had spoken seriously about the Warlock's captivity. Of course they made jokes, mainly about how Merlin and Iyla met, but they never addressed what had happened. Going through it once had been bad enough.

'She was hanging from the ceiling, and he had the knife pressed against her throat.'

'I remember...' Arthur whispered. 'That was when we came in and arrested him.'

'Except this time you didn't come,' Merlin's voice was quiet. 'She was in so much pain, and it was my fault. Nothing I said or did could make him stop. I can still hear her screams...'

'It didn't happen,' Arthur gripped his friend's shoulder tightly, letting him know he was still there. 'Myself and the Knights got to you in time. And we will do the same this time. You just have to hold on, Merlin. You hear me? Iyla is going to be fine.'

The Warlock didn't speak, instead moving his hand to cover his friends'.

The simple gesture was enough. And that was how they remained as the rest of the Knights packed the camp up.

It wasn't until Gwaine came over to them, to inform them that they were ready to move out, that Arthur and Merlin finally stood. No words were needed as they swung up into their saddles and made their way into the forest.

Because the simple gesture was enough.

XxX

The nausea was getting worse.

What little food they had given her wasn't sitting well in her stomach, and Iyla had to force herself to take deep breaths just to keep it down.

But it wasn't working.

Mordred was staring at her again, aware of her discomfort, and brought a bucket over.

And Iyla couldn't fight it anymore.

The druid just sat there, watching her, and, when she was finished, removed the bucket.

Iyla turned, wiping her mouth, just in time to see Mordred give Morgana a knowing look. The witch stared after him in surprise, before hurrying over to her, and gripping her hair.

'Are you hiding something from me, Iyla?'

She glared at the witch, keeping her mouth shut. Morgana smirked, and pressed her hand to Iyla's stomach, her eyes flaring gold. Iyla gasped and shied away, her arms coming up protectively.

But it was too late. Morgana was grinning in triumph. 'Does he know?'

Silence wouldn't help her now. Iyla simply shook her head, glaring at her captor. 'You took me before I could tell him.'

'It doesn't matter,' Morgana laughed, jumping to her feet. The look on her face sent chills down Iyla's spine. 'The beautiful Lady Emrys and her un-born child.

'I think this game just became a lot more interesting.'

**XxX**

**SPOILER FOR THE STORY: Something has been drawn to my attention in several reviews. I would like to assure my readers that Merlin and Iyla's baby will NOT be hurt in anyway. I could never bring myself to do something like that. **

**Please leave a review! My house is being renovated, and I have a lot of revision to do, so it is hard to find time to sit down and write, but I am getting it done slowly. The prompt and two-shot are in the process of being written as well, but I'm finding it difficult to just sit down and get on with it at the moment. You haven't been forgotten, I swear! **

**Again, please leave a review with your likes, dislikes, and your suggestions for future chapters. And thank you for sticking with this story. It means a lot to me that you are all still reading this. **

**TTFN  
Valkyriexx **


	7. The Search Continues

**I don't think I can apologise anymore for the late chapters... I'm writing them as soon as I can, and I'm just sorry it's taking me so long. But here's the next chapter! **

**Enjoy! **

**XxX**

**The Search Continues **

'We need to pinpoint Morgana's hideout,' Arthur rolled out a map on the forest floor, as they all gathered round. 'These marks represent the locations of all their attack, including the latest one. They can move around the Kingdom without being detected by patrols or villagers. How are they doing this?'

Merlin scrutinized the map, scanning the area for any sort of clue.

'Morgana and Mordred are both sorcerers. They could be using magic to get around with some sort of travelling spell.'

'And take an entire army with them?' Leon gave Gwaine an incredulous look. 'I don't think even Merlin's that powerful.'

'Have you asked him?' Gwaine quipped, looking to the Warlock for support. 'You did see what he did to the forest on that last patrol he came on _after _he was injured, right? If Merlin can do it, then Morgana and Mordred together can too.'

'What about scrying? Surely Merlin can just scry Iyla or Morgana and find out where they are just like that.' Elyan glanced between the two Knights, trying to divert their attention away from each other.

'It doesn't work like that. If it was that simple, I would have asked Merlin to scry them ages ago and ended this.'

The bickering continued around him, each idea getting more ridiculous than the last, but Merlin wasn't paying attention. There was something about the locations that connected them, something obvious, but he couldn't put his finger on it...

'...Merlin?' The Warlock looked up to see Arthur watching him, his brow furrowed. 'Have you seen something?'

Merlin shook his head in an attempt to clear it. 'I thought I did, but it's gone now. There _is _a connection, I can feel it, but right now it's eluding me.'

The King stared at him for another moment before nodding his head. 'Alright. We should continue heading West, I think, for now. The location of the first attack isn't very far away. We should head there and see if anything stands out to any of us.'

All of the Knights agreed, climbing to their feet and packing up the camp. Merlin remained where he was, staring at the map, trying to find whatever it was he had noticed. The King remained with him, noting down any tiny observations Merlin made in hopes that it would give them sort of clue.

But it was no use.

Sighing, Merlin rolled up the map and tucked it into his pack, before mounting his horse and following the patrol into the forest.

XxX

The one good thing that had come out of Morgana discovering her pregnancy was that the witch was now giving her enough food to eat.

Not that it made much difference. She was struggling to keep most of what they gave her down.

Gaius had warned her this could happen; a lot of women experienced sickness during pregnancies. Gwen herself had been forced to remain in bed for several weeks when during her first weeks with Amhar.

That didn't make her feel any better.

Iyla sipped at the water Mordred had brought her earlier, watching the two sorcerers move about the cave. They were, once again, talking in low voices, probably about her husband. There was no doubt in her mind that Merlin was out searching for her, and she was worried.

Morgana and Mordred had set their trap well, and she knew he would walk into it, if avoiding it meant losing her. She'd seen him face several sorcerers over the last three years, since they'd met, and he never risked an innocent life during a battle. It was one of his greatest strengths, but it was also one of his greatest weaknesses.

Gods, she hoped Gaius hadn't told him about the pregnancy. Under normal circumstances he'd be beside himself with worry; it would be a million times worse if he found out about the baby. Despite herself, Iyla smiled. Arthur would drive himself mad trying to control Merlin. They would probably bicker the entire way back to Camelot.

'Is something amusing, My Lady?'

Iyla glanced up at the witch, and gave her a gentle smile. 'Just thinking about my husband again, my Lady. I imagine he's driving Arthur mad at the moment. Do you remember when they used to banter? I suppose you don't.'

Morgana snarled and wrenched her hair, causing Iyla to hiss. 'Don't talk to me like that! They took _everything_ from me! Did you know that I loved your husband at one point?' Iyla stared at her. Morgana smirked. 'Oh yes. Both Guinevere and myself found ourselves infatuated with him at one stage or another. But he betrayed me.'

'He sent you to the druids...'

'Then sent Arthur after me!'

'No!' Iyla shook her head. 'He tried to stop them! The druids are Merlin's allies, not yours, for a reason! Because it was _him_ that brought about the age of peace that you had been promising for years before his magic was revealed. If you ever want to find peace, Morgana, you have to accept your failures, and accept that _Arthur _is the rightful ruler of Camelot. If you let me go, we can find a place for you in Camelot. You'll never be alone again.'

'Begging already? I thought you were stronger than that.'

'Begging for your soul, not mine.'

The witch shook her head, laughing. 'It's not my soul that's going to need saving, my Lady, when your husband arrives.'

As she walked away, Iyla watched her, her face calm. 'Don't be so sure.'

XxX

The journey to the first attack site had been made in relative silence. Even Gwaine remained quiet, sensing that his best friend needed to concentrate on his thoughts.

The entire journey, Merlin had been mulling over what he had seen on the map. It was beginning to irritate him, but he shook his head.

Something was nagging at the back of his mind; a connection between these attacks and Morgana's last takeover of Camelot.

Ahead of him, Arthur signalled for the patrol to come to a stop.

Looking around, the Warlock realised they were in the clearing.

And there it was, clear as day.

Ignoring the Knights that had begun to spread out, he immediately made his way to the tree line, staring at area just beyond.

A small smile graced his lips as he made his way forward, touching the rock gently. A small light appeared and floated around the entrance, guiding him inside.

XxX

Arthur huffed as he watched his men searching the area. He'd had this clearing searched after the initial attack, and he didn't think they were going to find anything new this time around.

Gwaine was kicking at dried up, dead leaves, pulling his cloak around himself with a frustrated frown on his face. Despite their conversation, he knew Gwaine wouldn't forgive himself until Iyla was safe.

Looking around, Arthur suddenly noticed that something was missing.

'Merlin?'

All of the Knights jumped, and turned, immediately noting the Warlock's absence. Panic began to settle in his mind, as his spun around, trying, desperately, to locate his friend.

'Merlin?'

They were all calling now, their hearts pounding.

'Merlin!'

'I've got it!'

A collective sigh of relief echoed around the clearing as the Warlock appeared, bouncing with barely contained excitement. Arthur stormed towards him, gripping his arm in anger. 'What the _hell_?' he shouted, taking Merlin by surprise. 'What were you _thinking_ going off on your own? You could have been kidnapped, or hurt, or...'

'What?' Merlin's confused voice cut him off. 'Arthur, they've gone underground.'

'Well, obviously!' Arthur snapped. 'And you still haven't answered my question!'

'No, Arthur, you don't understand,' Merlin grinned. 'They've gone _underground_!'

The King finally released him, frowning at him. 'What are you rambling about?'

'I don't know how I didn't see it before! It's so obvious now; _underground_, they took it so literally! I _knew _it reminded me of Ealdor when she last took over Camelot, because, of course, that's how we got away from Agravaine. Of course, this doesn't help us as much now that we _do_ know how they're getting around, but it will certainly help us begin to trace their movements and begin to find a more central location...'

'Merlin!' Merlin stopped rambling and blinked up at the King, taking a moment to focus on him. 'Slow down, and back up a moment. I know you enjoy making me feel stupid,' his friend grinned sheepishly at him. 'But you're not making much sense right now. So, starting from the beginning, _how_ are Morgana and Mordred getting around the Kingdom without being detected?'

The Warlock beamed at him, looking very proud of himself.

'Tunnels, Arthur. They're using tunnels under the ground.'

**XxX**

**Thank you for reading! Please leave a review with your thoughts, likes/dislikes and suggestions! **

**For all the DW fans... What do we think of the new assistant? I quite like her; this weeks' looks amazing! **

**Please review! They do motivate me to write more, but it's mock time at college... Again... Which means very few, if any, updates until my A2 exams are complete in mid-June... I'm so sorry, it's going to be another ridiculously long wait, but once they're over, I should have a lot more free time to write, even when I finally get a summer job! **

**Sorry again... And please don't give up on this story! I am doing my best **

**TTFN  
Valkyriexx**


	8. Captured

**They're over! Whoever thought exams were a good idea has obviously never had to sit them...**

**I am so sorry for my three month disappearing act, but, after my last chapter, I entered panic mode as I realised how close my final exams were. So I kind of abandoned fanfiction for a while... **

**But, it's all over now, and I'm back! **

**This chapter is not my favourite, and definitely not my best, but I've decided to stop stalling, so this chapter is more like a bridge so we can get to the interesting stuff next chapter!**

**Enjoy!**

**XxX**

_**Captured**_

'Tunnels?' Arthur stared at his friend incredulously. 'Are you serious?'

'Of course!' Merlin grabbed the map from his pack and spread it across the ground. 'Look. We've noted every significant detail on this map, right?'

'Right.'

'And what do all of these locations have in common?'

Feeling like he was missing something, Arthur stared at the sheet of parchment. The Knights did the same, all of them displaying varying degrees of confusion. After several minutes of silence... 'Of course!'

Arthur jumped, sending Gwaine a dirty look, but the rogue ignored him.

'Caves! All the sites are within a league of a series of caves!'

Merlin nodded. 'It wouldn't take much skill, just time. That's why they went quiet for so long before these latest attacks started. They were constructing the tunnels.'

'You can't be serious!' Arthur shook his head. 'They've tunnelled underneath the ground? How could they even do something like that?'

'Why not?' the Warlock asked. 'Animals do it all the time. Rabbits, mice, voles and such tunnel under the ground, and caves appear naturally all over Albion! _We've_ used tunnels before, Arthur, to escape Morgana. Do you remember?'

'But those were natural! Morgana and Mordred can't have created their own; that's not how it's done!'

Merlin laughed. 'Since when do they conform to what's done, Arthur? I'm telling you, I've been into that cave! There is a tunnel leading underground. By connecting up the caves, we might be able to find a central location, probably near the border. That's where Morgana and Mordred will be holding Iyla.'

Arthur was still sceptical, eyeing the map suspiciously, but he couldn't deny, Merlin had a point. A central location with a quick escape route that was unlikely to be found. The perfect hideaway.

'Alright. Where do you propose we start?'

XxX

It took them the majority of the rest of the day. Arthur watched, slightly amazed, as Merlin traced different lines across the maps, connecting the caves and noting where they intersected.

It reminded him of all the times he'd called his best friend an idiot...The Warlock had certainly proved him wrong!

Gwaine had remained by his friend's side the entire time, whilst the rest of the Knights rotated between helping the Warlock and tending to the camp. Merlin barely moved.

Arthur knew how devoted Merlin could be; these last few days had been evidence enough of that. But seeing him hunched over that sheet of parchment for hours was pushing things. Gwaine had pretty much had to force the Warlock to eat and drink at lunch time and now, as the light began to fade once again, still Merlin did not move.

The King was just contemplating dragging his best friend away when a triumphant shout came from the fire pit.

Merlin jumped to his feet, gesturing wildly at the map.

In an instant, Arthur was next to him, staring down at the large circle on the piece of parchment.

'That's it! That's where they're hiding! And I'll bet my spellbook that's where they're holding Iyla!'

'Which spellbook?' Merlin turned to glare at the grinning Gwaine. 'It's a fair enough question! You've got quite a few now.'

'Moving on?'

The Warlock nodded, turning back to the map. 'I used my magic, and simple maths...'

'Maths?'

Another glare at the rogue knight. 'Numbers, Gwaine. Anyway, I used maths to find points of intersection between the tunnels I discovered with my magic. It wasn't that hard, it just took longer than I'd anticipated. Now...'

'I'm sorry,' Arthur held up his hands. 'I don't see what this has to do with finding Morgana and Mordred's hideout.'

'I was getting to that.'

'Oh. Sorry.'

Merlin nodded his head, before pointing at the circle. 'With intersections, there is normally a common point. With these lines, they all cross in numerous places, and could all be a potential hideout for Morgana and Mordred. However, once I factor in all the other variables...'

'_What _other variables?'

'_Arthur_!'

'Sorry.'

'Centrality, cover, how close it is to the border for a quick getaway... You get the idea. With all of these included, I've come up with one location. Here!'

Arthur stared at the map for a few more minutes before nodding. 'Alright. We'll move out in the morning.'

XxX

By the time they had packed up the next morning, Arthur could feel the power crackling around his friend. With luck, he'd have his wife back by nightfall.

They set out quickly, Merlin barely saying a word as they followed the path the Warlock had set for them, the air around him thick with tension.

This was it.

They were finally going to get Iyla back.

And Arthur couldn't help but smile.

XxX

'They've found us.'

Iyla glanced up at her captors as Mordred's voice echoed around the cave.

'How?' Morgana snapped.

'Emrys found the tunnels we made and made the connection.'

_Tunnels? _Iyla pndered. _What tunnels?_

The witch snarled. 'He always was too quick for his own good.'

'It does not matter,' the druid placed his hand on Morgana's shoulder. 'We knew he was going to find us sooner or later. And, considering the circumstances,' he looked at Iyla. 'It is better that they arrive sooner. The last thing we need is to be worrying about the health of an unborn child; even if it _is _the child ofEmrys'.'

Iyla narrowed her eyes, her hands resting on her stomach, but she couldn't help the flutter of hope.

Merlin knew where they were. He was coming for them.

Did he know about their baby? Had Gaius told him before they'd left?

It didn't matter. Soon she would be able to tell him herself.

As long as he got past Morgana and Mordred first...

XxX

It only took them half a day to arrive at the cave.

They set up a temporary camp not far away in order to prepare, Merlin stood to the side, wringing his hands in worry.

What if they were too late?

No, he couldn't think like that. They _couldn't _be too late. Iyla would be fine; they were always fine.

'Hey,' the gentle voice broke through with subconscious. 'You alright?'

Merlin turned to his best friend. 'I will be when we get Iyla back.'

Arthur smiled. 'Don't worry. By tonight, she'll be back with you, where she belongs. Morgana and Mordred have never been a match for us.'

The Warlock gave a light chuckle. 'Thank you, Arthur. I know you didn't have to do all of this.'

'Now that's where you're wrong.' They turned away from the rest of the group, staring in the direction of the cave. 'After everything you and Iyla have done for me, it was the least I could do. And besides, Iyla is my friend, and my wife's best friend. And friends don't leave friends behind.'

Merlin closed his eyes. 'She... truly is amazing, isn't she? I've missed her so much these last few days.'

'Morgana's not going to give her up without a fight.'

'Good,' Merlin's eyes clouded with anger. 'I think it's time we settled that score.'

'Are you sure you're ready for her?'

'I was born ready.'

Arthur nodded, giving him a smile. 'I'd forgotten. Most powerful warlock to ever live, right?'

The Warlock laughed. 'Something like that. I'm going to go check on Gwaine.'

'Alright. I'll catch up with you in a minute.' Merlin watched him for a moment more before heading back to camp. The Knights were almost ready. Soon, they would storm the cave, and he would have his wife back. He hadn't really thought about dealing with Morgana and Mordred in-between finding the hideout and rescuing Iyla, but now he knew he would have to face them.

This could be his only chance to deal with the sorcerers... His one chance to defy the prophecy.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin made his way further into the camp, greeting his over-bubbly friend who was spreading moral like the plague.

And Merlin couldn't help but laugh.

XxX

Arthur wasn't normally nervous during quests. He didn't usually have to step away from the rest of the group in order to catch his breath. But he'd been so caught up in comforting Merlin and tracking Iyla that he hadn't thought about his own loss.

In the last two years, Iyla had become a good friend of his. In the last few days, he'd missed her companionship, and her quick wit and sharp tongue that matched her husbands'. Whilst his loss was absolutely miniscule in comparison to his best friends', he had definitely missed the young woman, and he knew that Gwen had too. But that wouldn't matter for much longer.

Iyla was inside that cave; Merlin's confidence had assured him of that.

So caught up in his thoughts, Arthur didn't notice that he'd wondered far from the group. Coming back to his senses, the King was surprised to find himself surrounded by trees. Looking around, he began to make his way back to the camp.

After that, everything else was a blur.

A shape charged out of the trees, catching him completely unawares. He didn't even have time to draw his sword, before a hand was around his throat, dragging him back.

He only had time to scream, before the figure was muttering, sending Arthur into a deep sleep.

'_Merlin_!'

XxX

'_Merlin_!'

The Warlock whipped round, thrusting his hand out instinctively, catching the mercenaries and throwing them back.

The Knights reacted instinctively, drawing their weapons and surging forward. The battle barely lasted a minute.

Merlin and the Knights stood in the centre of the clearing, panting slightly, and looking around for more attackers.

That was when Merlin noticed...

'Where's Arthur?'

**XxX**

**Sorry! I come back, and I immediately leave you all with a cliffhanger... **

**Gwaine's now being a clown again... That's how he behaved In 4x02 after Merlin left at deaths door and they were unsure if they were ever going to see him again. That's how I've justified his change here; he's still feeling guilty, but he knows that moping will get him nowhere. **

**Please leave a review! I'm hoping to get back into the swing of updating regularly, but it's a hard habit after so long... But I am trying, with all my other stories as well, including my prompt! **

**Until next time**

**TTFN  
Valkyriexx **


	9. The First Battle

**Eep, this chapter's late! I'm so, so sorry, it was harder than I thought to get into the swing of writing regularly again... **

**But it's here now! **

**Again, not my best work, but I wanted to get this done. Also, I suck at battles... I need to write stories without battles, because I really am rubbish at writing them. **

**Warnings for language and a bit of violence in this chapter, including a character death! Read on if you dare...**

**Enjoy!**

**XxX**

The First Battle 

'What do you mean "Where's Arthur?"? I thought he was with you!'

'I was with _you, _Gwaine! How could I be with you and him at the same time?' Merlin snapped, taking another desperate look around the clearing, searching for his King. How could he have let this happen? It was his _duty_ to protect the King, but now Arthur was gone, and it was all his fault.

Leon stepped between the two, pushing them apart. 'Fighting isn't going to solve this! Where could Arthur have gone?'

The Warlock let out a frustrated growl. 'Where do you _think?_ Morgana and Mordred have taken him! They took Iyla, and now they've taken Arthur!

'And, I swear, they're going to pay for that.'

XxX

The first thing he was aware of was the pounding of his head.

Arthur groaned, raising his hands to his hand, before registering that his hands were bound together.

'Arthur, are you alright?'

His eyes blinked open. 'Iyla?'

Iyla gave him a gentle smile. 'Yeah. Are you alright?'

'Are _you_? Have they hurt you?'

The young woman looked away. 'They haven't touched me. I've pretty much been on my own since I got here.'

'Have they given you enough food?' Iyla nodded and Arthur gave a relieved sigh. 'One less thing for Merlin to worry about.'

Iyla chuckled sadly. 'How is he?'

'Worried. He'll be happy to have you back.'

She nodded, sitting back. 'I can't imagine what I've put him through these last few days. Did he... say anything else?'

Arthur narrowed his eyes at her. 'Like what? He said there was something you wanted to tell him, is that what you mean?'

'Sort of...' Her voice trailed off and her eyes welled with tears. Unable to think of anything else to do, Arthur reached over and pulled her into a hug. Iyla clutched his tunic, sobbing into his shoulder. It broke his heart to hear her cry, and know there was nothing he could do to help her now that he had been stupid enough to be caught by the enemy. Normally he'd already be looking for a way out, but Iyla was more important. Merlin was outside, probably already with another of his clever plans to rescue them. All they had to do was wait.

Arthur really hated waiting.

XxX

His magic was crackling under his skin as he stared at the cave entrance, his eyes narrowed with anger. Behind him, he could hear the Knights putting the last of the preparations in place before they stormed the cave and took back their King and Iyla.

Merlin shivered as he felt the tension in the air. He could read it in the earth.

And he knew this was only just beginning.

XxX

'Dear brother, it has been too long!'

Arthur glared at his sister, crouching in front of Iyla and shielding her from view.

'As if that's going to protect her,' Morgana sneered. 'Don't worry your pretty head, Arthur. I would never harm someone in her condition.'

'_Condition?' _Arthur spat, 'What did you do to her?'

'Arthur...'

Morgana laughed. 'What _I_ did to her? Oh no, dear brother, I think you'll find the damage was already done when she arrived.'

'I am _not _damaged!' Arthur jumped as Iyla yelled behind him, her face dark with fury, her hands clutching her stomach protectively. 'If anyone's damaged, Morgana, it's you. You're the one trying to destroy a peaceful Kingdom by usurping your own brother, who has never shown you anything but kindness, and I am _sick _of you belittling me because I have what you want! You're jealous of me and Merlin, because he is everything you know you should have been, and he's mine, and you can't stand that! So why don't you just shut up, you heartless bitch, and get out of our faces?'

The witch looked like she'd been slapped, but it only lasted a moment. Her once pretty face twisted into an ugly snarl and she reached out to grab Iyla, but Arthur go there first, grabbing her wrist with his bound hands. 'Don't touch her.'

Morgana shook him off easily, but didn't try to go for Iyla again. 'I hope you said goodbye to Merlin, because you're never going to see him again. Even now, I wouldn't be surprised if he was gasping his last breath.' And with that she was gone.

Iyla took a shuddering breath before resting her head on Arthur's shoulders. The King stroked her hair softly. 'Merlin will be fine, Iyla. You'll see; he'll be here soon. I'm more worried about you.'

She shook her head, wiping her eyes. 'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'Iyla... I'm guessing Merlin doesn't know.'

'Know what?'

'About the baby.'

Her head dropped. 'No... I was going to tell him when I got back from Thomas' grave. There wasn't time between seeing Gaius and going with Gwen.'

'She wouldn't have wanted you to go if she knew...'

'But I didn't want that,' Iyla looked him in the eye. 'It's my job to remain with the Queen, and I wanted to. I just... Merlin should have been the first to know. But now you and Morgana and Mordred and Gaius, and probably even Gwen know by this point, but my own husband doesn't. This... This isn't fair...'

And as the floodgates opened once again, all Arthur could do was hold her whilst she wept.

XxX

After the first ambush, Merlin had been expecting another one.

His magic was on high alert and he felt the attack coming.

So when he spun, bringing his own blade up to catch Mordred's, the younger sorcerer's eyes widened with shock.

But there was no time for surprise.

Mercenaries were pouring into the camp, and the Knights were jumping into battle, leaving the Warlock alone with the druid. His own cerulean blue eyes darkened with anger, and he swung his blade, his eyes flaring gold.

Mordred countered easily, his own eyes lighting up, and throwing Merlin back. The Warlock let out a grunt of pain as he hit the ground, rolling in order to stagger to his feet, whipping round with his hand out. 'Forp Fleoge!'

The druid didn't have time to produce a shield, and he collided with a tree, hard. There was a sickening crack, but Mordred was back on his feet, appearing uninjured. With a snarl, he let loose another wave of pure energy, and it collided with Merlin's shield with a colossal bang. Both sorcerers were thrown backwards, Melrin only a couple of feet, but Mordred temporarily disappeared behind the brush.

This was it.

The Warlock bounded forward, meeting the druid as he staggered from the trees. Their swords connected one last time, before Merlin broke through the others defence and stabbed his blade forward.

Mordred's eyes went wide, his mouth falling open. The Warlock stared in shock as he felt the life leave the younger man, and he pitched forward, the blade still embedded in his chest.

Stepping back, the Warlock stared at the red liquid on his hand, clenching his fist in order to cover it. Gwaine appeared at his shoulder, cloth in hand, wiping away the substance.

'Merlin?'

Merlin shook his head, turning to face the Knight with his back to the body. 'Is he..?'

'Yeah.'

'Is everyone else alright?'

Gwaine nodded. 'What about you? You're not looking to good...'

The Warlock bit his lip, glancing back at Mordred. 'He's dead... I did it, he's gone!' And then the relief washed over him. Pressing his clean hand against his head, Merlin let out a relieved laugh. 'I finally... Mordred's gone, Gwaine!'

The Knight looked stunned. 'Yeah... So it'll be easier to rescue Arthur now, I get it!'

'No, no you don't!' Merlin laughed again. 'I'll explain later. Right now, we have to save my wife and a King silly enough to get himself caught by the enemy.'

The Knights nodded, still looking slightly bemused, following the Warlock into the woods.

**XxX**

**Should I have given him a better death? At least he put up a decent fight this time... **

**Please leave a review! I have one left to reply to from the last chapter, and I swear I'll reply to all of them this time. **

**Also, we've hit 100 people! I didn't even notice until it was on 103! So thank you to bubzchoc for being the 100****th**** reviewer! **

**I will update asap and that's the best I can offer. I've got a busy week, but I tend to be more inclined to write if I've been busy... When I have nothing to do, I literally do nothing, so I need motivation! I've also become immersed in the Rise Of The Guardian fandom, which is proving pretty distracting... **

**Until next time**

**TTFN  
Valkyriexx **


	10. Escape

**In my defence, I reckoned you would prefer a later, coherent chapter, than an earlier, garbled one... I've been so tired these last few weeks, when I've sat down to write, all I've written is complete nonsense. It's not much of an excuse, but it's the truth... I've also started watching Supernatural... Big mistake. **

**On the upside, including this chapter, there is only about four more chapters of this story to go! Yay! So I may actually get it finished before I start university! If I get in, that is...**

**I can't remember if I've put a disclaimer in this story, although the website title should say it all. However, apparently there's been an issue with copyright, so I'm gonna say it again for all my stories. I don't own Merlin, I'm just borrowing the characters :) If I did own Merlin, it would have ended a bit differently.**

**Enough rambling, on with the chapter!**

**Enjoy!**

**XxX**

**Escape**

Morgana was pacing.

Arthur watched her movements carefully, studying her body language. She was agitated, and she was too agitated to bother hiding it from her hostages.

"What's happened?"

The King shook his head, indicating for Iyla to be quiet. He didn't want to draw the witch's attention back to Iyla, even more so now he knew she was pregnant.

Poor Merlin! Arthur knew how long his best friend had wanted a family... how long he had believed he would never have one. That knowledge only made Arthur hate his sister even more.

"_Where is he_?!" Morgana's scream made them both jump, Iyla instinctively shrinking into Arthur's side. But it gave Arthur a vital piece of information.

"Lose something, Morgana?"

She whipped round to face him, her face smoothing into a sickening smile. "I'm not sure what you mean, dear brother. It is your best friend who has lost something."

Arthur smirked at her. "Is that why Mordred hasn't returned?"

Morgana narrowed her eyes at him. "You really think I'm concerned because he is several minutes late? That just means he's having fun playing with Merlin."

Iyla let out a gasp behind him, but Arthur wasn't fooled. "Is that why you're pacing like a caged wild dog? I think you're worried that Merlin might have bested him. "

She let out a manic chuckle. "_Merlin_? Bested _Mordred_? You really have so much faith in your pet Warlock, Arthur?"

"Yes.' Morgana seemed taken aback by his bluntness, but didn't have anything else to say. She stalked off to the mouth of the cave to wait for Mordred. Iyla placed her hand on his shoulder.

"You should tell him that more often."

Arthur smiled sadly. "He knows."

XxX

"As soon as Morgana finds out about Mordred, she'll become even more volatile, which will put Arthur and Iyla in danger."

Merlin nodded his agreement to Leon's statement, before gesturing towards the cave. "Then there's no time to waste. I think it's about time we settled this. Are you ready for this?"

They all nodded, Gwaine unsheathing his sword. They began to move forwards, before Merlin thrust out his arm.

"Wait." They crouched low in the bushes as a dark form swept from the cave. 'Morgana...'

She disappeared into the forest. They waited a few more moments before darting forward, Merlin leading the way down the path.

XxX

He estimated around an hour had passed before Morgana stormed from the cave. That was when Arthur made his move.

Iyla's hands, thankfully, were not bound, and it took Arthur mere moments to free himself. There were no weapons nearby, but he hadn't really expected any.

After all, Morgana was crazy, not stupid.

But they didn't have time to think about that. Morgana could be back at any moment, and Arthur's top priority was getting Iyla away from the witch. If Merlin really had killed Mordred, as the King suspected he had, Morgana would be itching for revenge.

Pulling Iyla to her feet, he led her towards the exit, moving slowly and quietly, listening for the witch's return.

"Arthur?"

"Shh," he hushed her, stepping carefully as the darkness began to close around them. 'She could be back any minute. I need to get you out of here; we have to find Merlin.'

"I'm not feeling so great," she whispered. Arthur immediately gripped her tightly as her legs buckled and her eyes slid shut.

Arthur cursed, before picking her up bridal style, praying that she'd regain consciousness _before _her husband saw him carrying her...

XxX

The cave was dark as they entered, every footstep echoing as they inched slowly down the black corridor. Ahead of them, a light flickered into existence, casting a soft glow down the path. As they walked, Merlin kept stopping and listening for footsteps; the only indication they'd get that Morgana was returning to her lair.

He wasn't sure how long they'd been walking when he heard the approaching footsteps.

"Quiet!" Merlin held up his hands, one directed towards the Knights, the other pointing down the corridor. The flickering light he had conjured faded, leaving them in complete darkness. Immediately, Merlin's magic surged to his eyes, illuminating the passageway.

Behind him, he heard the Knights draw their swords, despite the fact he knew they couldn't see anything.

A distorted shape rounded the corner.

Merlin raised his hand, a spell on the tip of his tongue, when the shape came into sharper focus.

In his surprise, the light flared brighter than he anticipated, and the Knights had to shield their eyes.

"Arthur!"

The King opened his eyes, and let out a relieved laugh. "Merlin! Thank the gods, are you alright?"

"Where's Iyla?"

"She's right here," Merlin finally shifted his gaze to the object in Arthur's arms. He let out a gasp, jumping forward to take his wife from the King.

Lowering her to the floor, he began to examine her vitals. "What happened?"

"She passed out during our escape. Morgana hasn't touched her, neither did Mordred; it's just exhaustion. She's been worried sick about you."

Merlin let out a breath he didn't even realise he'd been holding, and reached out to stroke the side of her face. Iyla leaned into his touch, a gentle smile gracing her lips. Her eyes flickered open, and her soft brown eyes widened as they saw him.

"Merlin!"

Her arms wrapped around his neck, and Merlin pulled her close, resting his forehead against hers. "Iyla..."

Their lips touched and they became lost in each other, completely forgetting about the Knights and the King surrounding them.

It felt like it had been forever. The pain and loneliness they had felt in being separated was finally fading. Iyla was no longer an image, a dream, a fading picture he was chasing across the countryside. She was real, and in his arms once again, and he was never going to let her go. She was his, and he was never letting her out of his sight again...

"Are we interrupting, or can we get back to escaping now?"

Merlin jumped back, his arm still wrapped around Iyla's shoulder. "What?"

Arthur smirked. "If it's all the same with you, lover-boy, I'd like to get away from here before Morgana gets back."

"Oh, right. That's probably a good idea." Merlin clambered to his feet, bringing Iyla with him. "Let's go."

They began to shuffle forwards, Merlin leading the way.

"Leaving so soon?"

Merlin twisted round, his arm outstretched, but he wasn't quick enough. Morgana's eyes flared gold, and they all hit the floor, knocking all the air from their lungs.

"The party's only just beginning."

**XxX**

**Dun dun dunnn! Don't you just love cliffhangers? **

**On a complete different note, guess who's got tickets to MCM Comic Con in October?! I know it's not San Diego, but it's the first step, and my first one and I am super excited! **

**I will try and update when possible. And I am working on my prompt, I promise, but I've struggled to get back into the habit of writing every night. Also, why has nobody pointed out my irritating habit of using ' instead of "? I didn't even realise I was doing it... **

**Please review! I haven't given up on this story, and I do intend to finish it soon! **

**TTFN  
Valkyriexx **


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